The question our clients ask most often is: what penalty can I expect for drink-driving in Hungary? The law provides for up to two years’ imprisonment, but that says little about what actually happens in court. Over the past years our firm has defended clients in numerous drink-driving cases. From these we selected 14 typical and instructive cases closed with a final decision (2019–2026, courts in Budapest and Pest County) that show clearly what the penalty depends on.
The cases are presented anonymously, without any identifying details. The 14 cases are a selection, not representative statistics: the averages and ratios below refer to the cases presented. Every case is different; this overview is for information only and does not replace a professional assessment of your own case.
In brief: what do the cases show?
- For defendants with no criminal record who caused no accident, the cases presented always ended with a fine: between HUF 100,000 and 300,000, on average about HUF 220,000, roughly one month’s net income.
- The driving ban in these cases ranged from 5 to 12 months and increased with the alcohol level.
- Where there was an accident, the ban was close to two years, even for a defendant with a clean record.
- After a previous drink-driving conviction the ban was 1.5–4 years, in the most serious case permanent, and short-term custody or, together with other offences, imprisonment also appeared.
- The driving ban was not waived in any of the cases.
In our professional opinion, the cases presented reflect well the general practice of Hungarian courts in drink-driving cases.
The 14 cases at a glance
| Case | Year | Alcohol level* | Key circumstances | Procedure | Penalty | Driving ban |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2019 | approx. 0.72 g/l | no criminal record, no accident, admission | judgment | 100 daily units × HUF 1,000 = HUF 100,000 | 5 months |
| 2 | 2019 | 1.66 g/l | previous conviction (not traffic-related), hit a parked vehicle while reversing | penal order | 220 × HUF 1,000 = HUF 220,000 | 2 years |
| 3 | 2019 | approx. 1.42 g/l | no known record, admission, foreign national | penal order | 120 × HUF 1,500 = HUF 180,000 | 1 year |
| 4 | 2020 | 1.12 g/l | two previous drink-driving convictions within a year, no licence, other offences as well | judgment | 1 year imprisonment (combined sentence) | 4 years |
| 5 | 2021 | 1.80 g/l | many previous convictions, several earlier drink-driving offences, 11 earlier bans, no licence | penal order | 460 × HUF 1,000 = HUF 460,000 | permanent |
| 6 | 2021 | – | admission, poor health, close to retirement | judgment (appeal) | 240 × HUF 1,000 = HUF 240,000; the community service also imposed at first instance was dropped on appeal | 2 years 10 months |
| 7 | 2022 | 1.43 g/l + sedative | multiple reoffender, no licence, fled, gave his brother’s details | judgment | 3 years imprisonment (combined sentence, also for false accusation and forgery of public documents) | 2 years |
| 8 | 2023 | – | young defendant | judgment | 150 × HUF 1,000 = HUF 150,000 | 10 months |
| 9 | 2023 | 1.61 g/l | no criminal record, caused an accident, pensioner | judgment | 200 × HUF 1,000 = HUF 200,000 | 1 year 10 months |
| 10 | 2024 | approx. 0.58 g/l | many previous convictions, earlier drink-driving, no licence, under criminal supervision in another case | penal order | 250 × HUF 1,300 = HUF 325,000 | 1 year 6 months |
| 11 | 2025 | approx. 2.66 g/l | earlier drink-driving, during a suspended sentence, never held a licence | judgment | 90 days’ custody (elzárás) | 3 years |
| 12 | 2025 | approx. 0.82 g/l | no criminal record, one earlier traffic infringement, foreign national | penal order | 150 × HUF 2,000 = HUF 300,000 | 8 months |
| 13 | 2025 | 0.66 g/l | no criminal record, young, above-average income | judgment | 200 × HUF 1,500 = HUF 300,000 | 8 months |
| 14 | 2026 | 1.26–1.82 g/l | multiple reoffender, no licence, gave his brother’s details | judgment | 3 years imprisonment (combined sentence) | 3 years |
How large is the fine compared with monthly income?
A fine in Hungary consists of two numbers: the court sets the number of daily units according to the seriousness of the offence, and the amount of one daily unit according to the defendant’s income and assets. By law the number of daily units can be between 30 and 540, and one unit between HUF 1,000 and 500,000. In the cases presented the number of units ranged from 100 to 460, and the courts set one unit at HUF 1,000–2,000.
| Case | Monthly net income | Fine | Multiple of monthly income | Instalments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | approx. HUF 400,000 | HUF 300,000 | 0.75 | – |
| 1 | approx. HUF 110,000 | HUF 100,000 | 0.9 | 4 months |
| 3 | approx. HUF 180,000 | HUF 180,000 | 1.0 | – |
| 10 | approx. HUF 160,000 | HUF 325,000 | 2.0 | – |
| 9 | approx. HUF 60,000 (pension) | HUF 200,000 | 3.3 | 5 months |
| 5 | approx. HUF 120,000 | HUF 460,000 | 3.8 | 10 months |
- For defendants with no record and no accident, the fine was typically 0.75–1 times the monthly net income.
- With an accident or a previous drink-driving conviction this rose to 2–4 times.
- Across all six cases the average was about twice, the median about one and a half times the monthly income.
It is striking that the amount of one daily unit does not rise in proportion to income: it was HUF 1,000–1,500 with both HUF 110,000 and HUF 400,000 incomes. Low earners are therefore hit relatively harder. The courts offset this with instalments: 4–20 monthly instalments were allowed, and in one case the appeal court spread payment over 20 months instead of 6.
In the cases presented that ended with a fine, the average fine was about HUF 250,000 and the median HUF 230,000.
Does the driving ban follow the alcohol level?
In the cases presented, for defendants with no criminal record, clearly yes. One judgment states expressly that the court took the degree of intoxication into account when setting the length of the ban.
| Alcohol level (no criminal record) | Driving ban |
|---|---|
| 0.66 g/l | 8 months |
| approx. 0.72 g/l | 5 months |
| approx. 0.82 g/l | 8 months |
| approx. 1.42 g/l | 1 year |
| 1.61 g/l + accident | 1 year 10 months |
Roughly: below 1 g/l a ban of six months to a year, around 1.5 g/l about a year, and with an accident close to two years could be expected.
With previous convictions, however, the record outweighs the alcohol level. In case 10 the measured value was only just over the limit (approx. 0.58 g/l), yet the ban was a year and a half because of the earlier drink-driving and driving without a licence. For repeat drink-driving the ban was 1.5–4 years, and for the serial offender permanent: according to the court, such an “entrenched character defect” also justifies a permanent ban.
What made the penalty stricter?
- A previous drink-driving conviction: the strongest aggravating factor; for repeat offences custody or imprisonment came into play instead of a fine (cases 4 and 11).
- Driving without a licence: present in six cases, each time as an aggravating factor.
- Offending while under another sentence or proceedings: during a suspended sentence or criminal supervision (cases 10 and 11).
- An accident: led to a ban of almost two years even for a defendant with no record (case 9); in case 2 the high alcohol level, a previous conviction and damage to a parked vehicle together led to a two-year ban.
- A very high alcohol level: assessed by the court as “severe alcohol intoxication” (case 11).
- The simultaneous effect of drugs or medication: a separate aggravating factor (case 7).
- Fleeing or giving false details: those who ran from the police or gave their brother’s details committed further offences and received prison sentences (cases 7 and 14).
- The prevalence of the offence: one judgment also cites this as an aggravating factor.
What reduced the penalty?
- Admission and remorse: where the court gave detailed reasons for the sentence, this almost always appeared as a mitigating factor, although courts noted that it carries less weight when the defendant was caught in the act.
- No criminal record and a clean driving record.
- Supporting a minor child.
- Poor health: in case 6 the appeal court dropped community service for this reason.
- The length of the proceedings: a mitigating factor of lesser weight in several cases.
- Low income: affected not the number of daily units but the amount of one unit and the instalments.
What the courts did not accept
- That the defendant could hardly reach their workplace without a car and might lose their job: this was not an “exceptional circumstance” justifying waiving the ban.
- That the defendant did not feel drunk, or that a diet made the alcohol act more strongly: the measured value is decisive.
- In none of the 14 cases did the court waive the driving ban.
What does this mean for you?
- The time since your licence was seized counts towards the ban: in five cases the court expressly ordered this, so in practice the remaining period may be shorter.
- Ask for instalments if you cannot pay the fine in one sum.
- Do not drive while banned, and never give false details: these led to the most serious consequences.
- React quickly to a penal order: some cases ended without a hearing by a written penal order (büntetővégzés), against which a hearing can only be requested within a short deadline.
If proceedings have been started against you for drink-driving in Hungary, read more about what to do, the penalties and your defence: Drink-driving in Hungary – English-speaking lawyer 0–24. If you want to know how long alcohol stays in your body: How long does alcohol stay in your body?
About the author: Dr. László-Tamás Benő has worked as a criminal defence lawyer since 2002, defending clients in more than 4,000 cases. He is a lawyer at Benő & Willi law firm and speaks English. Available day and night in drink-driving cases: +36 70 379 0245.
This article is general information and does not constitute legal advice. Last updated: October 2026.